TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 13: 1- 3 1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word(rema) be established.

2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. (KJV)

Today we would like to learn that God has confirmed His Word on the judgment of the end time in advance in the mouth of two or three witnesses through a message entitled “TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.”

What we know to learn about the descriptions of the end time is that God has warned once or twice for the events of the end time in advance through similar incidents.

It may be difficult to understand, because what I say is a little abstract. For example, let’s think of the word “serpent” mentioned on Revelation of the end time. Then, we know God has testified and warned of this twice in advance through what have happened.

1. The serpent that perverted the Word of God in the Garden of Eden to deceive Eve to let her depart from the tree of life (which symbolizes eternal life).

2. The Pharisees and scribes were called serpents in the days of Jesus. They, though were given the Word of God, perverted it and were blamed of Jesus to suffer the people to go in heaven.

Well, the above two are past events. But, these are facts, and the two witnesses of facts, “the serpent perverted the Word,” and “they suffered the people to go in heaven.”

Then, the important thing to us is the event in the future and of the end time. To understand this, it is important to pay attention to the word “In the mouth of two three witnesses.” There are already two clear witnesses for the thing “serpent.” And, so, it can be guessed and confident of the third thing in the future to happen as is said.

3. The third thing (word)

It is written about the serpent on Revelation as below.

REVELATION 12: 7- 9 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

8 And prevailed not; neither was there place found any more in heaven.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (KJV)

This says that the serpent, that is, those who pervert the Word, will be cast down to the earth and will not be able to work in heaven (the Church of God’s will). This is the thing in the future. Will such a thing in fact happen? Will it really be so? Can we believe the word on Revelation that is a little suspicious?

When we have such a doubt, it is the word of witness to encourage us.

There were already two witnesses about this serpent, and they were literally done. As we learn these, we know the third thing in the future will be surely fulfilled. The two witnesses were the event about the serpent in the days of Eve, and another one, the event happened between Jesus and the serpent, the Pharisees and scribes. These were surely fulfilled, as Eve was ousted out of the Garden of Eden as a result of the deception by the serpent, and she lost the eternal life. And the serpent, the Pharisees and scribes, did not understand who Jesus was. These past events were the sure witnesses for the word “serpent.” And, like this, we have confidence as fact in the event about the serpent on the future Revelation, as the two witnesses (events) were the facts. Therefore, the fact (the word) is confirmed here by two or three witnesses.

Well, then, let’s look at the text.

1 “This is the third time I am coming to you.”

We know here that Paul had already visited the church in Corinth twice. This was the past (at that time). And, he said he was going to visit the third time. And this is the future (at that time). The two were in the past and the third is in the future.

And, he said that he had said what he should say and warned what he should warn through these twice visits. Then, he said he had some special meaning in the third visit. That means the judgment.

So, the way of the Bible may be somehow in the pattern of twice of warnings and then the third time in the future judgment.

For example, it is as below.

(The destruction of the Temple)

1. The destruction of the tabernacle at Shiloh (house of God’s living like the Temple)

2. The destruction of the Temple in the days of Jeremiah

3. The destruction of the Temple that Christ prophesied in the days of end time

The third destruction of the Temple is the sign for the judgment on the Church in the end time and this is the warning for that day.

“In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word(rema) be established.”

When it is said every word is established, it firstly refers to that Paul confirmed the actual condition of the church in Corinth. But, there is double meaning. Above word “word” is used “rema” in original Greek. So, the Bible says the word is actually established in the mouth of two or three witnesses. Therefore, the word God has said is not only just said but also is established in the mouth of two or three witnesses. What does this mean?

For example, it is written on Revelation a man child born of a woman. He is the victor born of a virgin (opposite of harlot Babylon) in the end time. The Word surely said so. But, it is in the future and may not be clear to some people. Yet, God will establish this, “A man child born of a woman,” in the mouth of two or three witnesses.

For example, the Bible said as one of them, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son.” This word is fulfilled in the days of Isaiah.

ISAIAH 7: 14 Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (KJV)

This is the first witness as to the word.

And as we know, it was also fulfilled when Christ was born of mother Mary. This is the second witness. By these two witnesses a man child mentioned on Revelation of the end time is established as fact.

2 “I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare.”

Well, Paul said something special regarding his third visit. He said, “I will not spare,” at his third visit (different from other times). This visit will be the time of judgment on those who sinned before. So, the principle shown here is as below.

Once or twice: warning and witnesses

Third time: The unsparing judgment on those who sinned

This principle is not of Paul’s personal matter but of the Bible as a whole.

The above style is kept also on other cases. It is as below concerning the above “destruction of the Temple.”

1: The destruction of the tabernacle at Shiloh (house of God’s living like the Temple): warning, witness

2: The destruction of the Temple in the days of Jeremiah: warning, witness

3: The destruction of the Temple that Christ prophesied to His disciples in the days of end time on Matthew chapter 24: Unsparing judgment on those (including Christians) who sin at that time

3 “Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.”

Paul said here why he visited two or three times, in another word, two or three witnesses were necessary. That is, “Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me.” This saying corresponds to the word of the end time.

Not all the people believe that the words, such as, “mountains are cast into the sea,” or “sea will be turned to blood,” will be established as said.

To the contrary, there are those who think like, “Revelation was written by a mad man,” or “This is not fit for a part of the Bible, for Christ should firstly have never said such things.” They “seek a proof of Christ speaking” in this book. The answers to that are the two or three witnesses.

These words have been in fact mentioned and established in the history of the Bible before Revelation. They were once and twice established and will be fulfilled the third time on Revelation. Of course, there were not completely in the same manner as on Revelation, but already realized.

Let’s grasp these warnings and do the will of the Lord in the end time.

End.